Dolly Parton book scheme to benefit more children

A book gifting scheme set up by a county music superstar to inspire a love of reading has been extended to more children on the Isle of Man.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which delivers a free book each month to children under the age of five, was originally set up in Parton's home state of Tennessee in 1995 to improve literacy.

The scheme launched in the UK in 2007, and children in Douglas became the first on the island to be eligible in January this year.

That has since been followed by those living in the northern villages of Andreas, Ballaugh, Bride, Jurby, Lezayre and Maughold – with Patrick in the west the latest to be added.

Trish McDonnough, who organises Imagination Library on the island, said the mission was in line with the parent initiative of "making sure every child has the same access to books at the very start of their life".

The response in the Patrick area had been "fantastic", she said, with "nearly half of eligible children registered in just four days".

More funding has been secured to extend the books to more postcodes on the island, with the scheme now "getting close to having the funds raised to open Ramsey and Peel too", she added.

As part of the ongoing expansion of the scheme, all parents of all babies born at the island's Jane Crookall Maternity Unit are also being offered the chance to sign their newborns up – with those who join from birth accumulating a total of 60 books.

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